Dealing with Rejection

Problem:  While in my office the other day, I got a call from a financial advisor.  As soon as I answered the phone he began a pitch that lasted for what seemed a very long time, listing all the reasons why I should do business with him.  I told him that my wife controls the investing in our family and that she has had a successful relationship with a competing broker for over 20 years.  Although the guy pressed harder, I sensed that I took the wind out of his “sales” when I said, “Look, I’m just not interested.”  My eardrum rattled as he slammed the phone down hard.  This was likely followed by some derogatory reference, most likely directed at me for rejecting him.

Analysis:  First, and I won’t address it here, his phone tactics were just plain awful.  They needed some serious polishing.  But for the moment, let’s assume his phone tactics were adequate.  The main problem was that the salesperson reacted to the call with a feeling of rejection.  That bad feeling probably transferred forward into the next few calls.  I suspect that it might have taken this person a little longer to recover.

Solution:  There is no rejection here. Was I a good prospect?  The answer is no.  I haven’t made a buy or sell order for years.  I have little input at my house on investment decisions.   Did I reject him?  No, I didn’t even know him.  I didn’t have any need for what he was selling.  He did his job.  He disqualified me and put a line through my name.  If he felt anger and rejection, it was because he created it.  He is the one who decided to take my response personally.  Disqualifying prospects is a very important and productive part of prospecting.  Remember, you must sift through a lot of dirt and rocks to find some gold nuggets.  In other words, it is okay to feel good about disqualifying a prospect as long as you have used proper selling tactics.